Most of the ribbons are rare vintage, with some dating back to the 1950s”
I would say I’ve never been one for much ‘embellishment’ – not on clothing and accessories, nor in my story-telling. This I put down to having spent years as a news writer/editor, where only the facts were relevant. In fashion terms, my taste for the simple, classic understated, British country look comes from being brought up by a mother with impeccable dress sense.
However, due to the recent news that quintessentially English period drama, Downton Abbey, is set to return to our screens by the end of this year, I found myself harking back to the 1990s, when my clothing design business was based largely on the styles of the 1920s.
At the time, I was inspired by another period drama, The House of Elliott, with its wonderful 1920s/30s costumes. This was really the only time when I have used embellishments, tastefully of course, to emulate the iconic styles of the period, many of which were trimmed with elaborately embroidered ribbons and braids, or textures such as the vintage faux ‘Astrakhan’ fur trim I used on the hat below.
Vintage jacquard ribbon
It got me wistfully looking back at my portfolio of clothing (none of it digitalized) and that led me to search my boxes of treasures to see if I still had any of the braids left hiding somewhere. I also decided to scan some of the pictures, where the clothing was modelled by my dear late sister, Sarah (image above), and my cousin, Melissa. I always made hats to match the clothing, some also trimmed with jacquard ribbons. I am now pondering turning some of those hat designs into sewing patterns as they were very popular, classic styles that are still wholly relevant.
The good news is that I found some of the ribbons, only small pieces mind you, so I have started listing a few in the ‘ribbons and braids’ section of the Charlie’s Aunt Etsy shop. Some may seem quite expensive but most of them are rare vintage, with some dating back to the 1950s!
My 1920s inspired clothing business
I’ve also scanned a few of the pages of my 20s-style clothing portfolio showing the whole outfits including hats, plus snippets of the braid I used on them. I took this to fashion shows and fairs in the 1990s, to garner orders, long before it was possible to have a website. I used all British fabrics where possible and worked in a way that would be termed ‘sustainable’ now. I was way ahead of my time in encouraging people to buy handmade and British, and sourced many of the materials I used from manufacturers’ overstocks – so zero waste. It was also the time when people attended large craft shows and events to find their special handmade items, rather than shopping online. I still miss the buzz and camaraderie of those events.
I’m not sure how the clothing would go down today, but as a lot of the coat and jacket styles were classic and timeless, I’ve often wondered if there would be a market if I made them into sewing patterns. Many people asked me at the time and it seems a shame to let my original patterns sit there gathering dust in boxes in my loft. However, with my health as it is, clothing patterns will probably have to remain an idea that I ponder from time to time, rather than a reality.
What’s available for spring?
Back to the reality of bags, hats and accessories, I really think these jacquard ribbons would work so well on either the Chelsworth or Heacham cloches or around the Lynford or Beckhythe hats. They do match incredibly well with the luxury tweeds and the more utilitarian cotton canvas I have in the Charlie’s Aunt Etsy shop. Alternatively, they would make a stunning addition to the flap or front of a handbag.
This month I’ve also started stocking many of the tweeds, floral cotton and cotton canvas fabric by the yard so you don’t have to buy them as part of a pack. However, there are matching items available for all of the fabrics, including bias binding, buttons and other fabrics.
So I’ll sign off for now but would encourage you to check in at the Charlie’s Aunt shop regularly as we head into late spring. I am unearthing all manner of treasures, from luxurious Sudbury silk to rare vintage buttons – all ideal for using on your Charlie’s Aunt designs.
As always, I’d love to hear from you by email at emma@charliesaunt if you have any thoughts or suggestions. In the meantime, happy spring sewing!
